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Becoming An Energy Auditor

Energy Auditor Training

Energy auditors are a crucial aspect of improving the energy efficiency of a residence or company, and possess a unique set of skills that allows them to assess the way a particular system uses energy, and whether that system can be improved. An individual with an energy auditor certification will, ideally, be able to find ways to lower the input amount of an energy system (that is, the energy used) without negatively impacting the output of the system. Here, we’ll go over how an energy auditor can provide valuable help to both residential and commercial sites.

Energy Auditor Certification

Energy auditor certification offers students the skills they will eventually use in the field, such as the different techniques that go into preliminary, general, and specific energy evaluations such as thermal and emissions systems. Energy auditing is used primarily by corporate clients to maximize the efficiency with which their offices, job sites, and other structures use energy. These audits come in a variety of forms. Preliminary audits consist mainly of a tour of the premises, and interviews with site operation personnel. Auditors may also review utility bills and other energy statements in order to determine how energy is being used.

Energy auditing is also used by construction and development companies in order to make sure that new homes are using energy efficiently. An energy auditor can inspect insulation, use infrared tools to measure heat retention, and check electrical systems for power usage. This means that energy audit training virtually guarantees a future for anyone interested in energy conservation, alternative energy, and environmentally friendly energy use. Energy auditor certification is an excellent way to make use of your interest in the environment, in the modern energy revolution, and a desire to help your fellow man.

Growth of the Energy Auditor Market

Energy auditing is a growing business, much like the rest of the energy industry. The number of job opportunities is increasing dramatically every day, and getting your certification is relatively fast and easy, especially if you compare it to attending a university. Even though an energy auditor certification is not the equivalent to a college degree, it opens a large number of doors for energy industry work. If you are looking for a fine career that will offer you with a rewarding way to help the environment, as well as a high degree of job security and plenty of work opportunities, then getting an energy audit certification is an excellent first step.

More Energy Auditor Resources

Energy Auditor Training

Become an Energy Auditor

Energy Auditor Talk

Home Energy Audits

Even if silicon is the industry normal semiconductor in most electrical products, including the solar cells that photovoltaic panels utilize to convert sun rays into energy, it is hardly the most cost-efficient product on the market. For example, the semiconductor gallium arsenide and connected compound semiconductors provide practically 2 times the efficiency as silicon in solar devices, however they are rarely utilized in utility-scale applications because of their high production value.

U. of Illinois. professors J. Rogers and X. Li investigated lower-cost methods to produce thin films of gallium arsenide which also granted usefulness in the sorts of products they can be incorporated into.

If you can reduce significantly the expense of gallium arsenide and other compound semiconductors, then you might expand their variety of applications.

Usually, gallium arsenide is transferred in a individual thin layer on a smaller wafer. Either the ideal device is made specifically on the wafer, or the semiconductor-coated wafer is break up into chips of the preferred dimension. The Illinois group chose to put in multiple levels of the material on a individual wafer, making a layered, “pancake” stack of gallium arsenide thin films.

If you grow ten layers in 1 growth, you only have to fill the wafer 1 time. If you do this in 10 growths, loading and unloading with temp ramp-up as well as ramp-down get a lot of time. If you consider exactly what is necessary for every growth – the equipment, the research, the time, the workers – the overhead saving this approach gives is a considerable expense decrease.

Next the scientists separately peel off the layers and move them. To complete this, the stacks alternate levels of aluminum arsenide with the gallium arsenide. Bathing the stacks in a solution of acid and an oxidizing agent dissolves the layers of aluminum arsenide, freeing the single small sheets of gallium arsenide. A soft stamp-like device selects up the levels, 1 at a time from the top down, for move to another substrate – glass, plastic-type or silicon, depending on the application. Then the wafer could be reused for another growth.

By executing this it’s possible to produce considerably more material more quickly and more cost efficiently. This process could generate bulk amounts of material, as compared to just the thin single-layer method in which it is typically grown.

Freeing the material from the wafer also opens the opportunity of flexible, thin-film electronics produced with gallium arsenide or different high-speed semiconductors. To make products that could conform but still retain higher efficiency, which is significant.

In a paper released on-line May 20 in the academic journal Nature, the group explains its methods and shows 3 kinds of units making use of gallium arsenide chips produced in multilayer stacks: light products, high-speed transistors and solar cells. The authors also provide a comprehensive cost evaluation.

An additional advantage of the multilayer approach is the release from area constraints, especially essential for solar cells. As the levels are removed from the stack, they may be laid out side-by-side on one more substrate to make a significantly larger surface area, whereas the standard single-layer process restricts area to the dimension of the wafer.

For photovoltaics, you need large area coverage to catch as much sunshine as possible. In an extreme situation we might grow enough layers to have 10 times the area of the standard.

Up coming, the group programs to explore more prospective device applications and other semiconductor materials that could adapt to multilayer growth.

About the Article author – Shannon Combs publishes articles for the residential solar power cost blog, her personal hobby blog focused on tips to help home owners to save energy with sun power.

Complete Bio Photo of the Author

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Have you ever wondered how “green” and sustainable your cup of coffee is? If yes, which type of coffee beans do you choose – organic, shade-grown or fair trade? Read on to learn all that true eco-enthusiastic coffee fans should know about the different certifications…

Organic coffee

When buying organic, you decide on coffee that is grown without pesticides, herbicides and artificial fertilizers. This is beneficial not only to your health (as the coffee beans do not contain any chemicals), but also to the environment since the soil and water are not contaminated with artificial substances. In order to be sold as organic, the coffee has to be processed under special conditions without chemicals in an organic mill.

Shade-grown coffee

Shade-grown coffee is grown in a traditional, environmentally friendly way from farms with thick layers of trees and bushes. Unfortunately, as demand for coffee grew, a new, higher-productivity approach was introduced to coffee farming. The system, introduced in 1970s, is called sun cultivation since coffee is grown in rows under the sun with little or no forest canopy.  It has become popular because the growing process is more rapid and gives higher yields, however it has several disadvantages:

-          it requires the increased use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides, which can contaminate land and water; however, when growing under the shade, there is less risk of pathogen infection and the leaves that drop from the shade are a natural fertilizer;

-          it has led to deforestation of many areas of coffee cultivation, which is disastrous for some animal species like songbirds, howler monkeys, iguanas, ocelots, and pumas;

-          the taste of coffee is worse; although the yields are higher, shade-grown beans are of a lower quality since a longer ripening time contributes to complex flavor.

This is why many eco-conscious consumers prefer the traditionally grown coffee. As shade coffee farms in general use little or no chemical fertilizers, the shade grown coffee is often also certified as organic.

Fair Trade coffee

Even though the price for a cup of coffee seems high, many farmers that grow the beans live in extreme poverty. It is due to the fact that most of the costs that add up to the price of coffee are generated by the middlemen. Fair Trade organizations help producers in developing countries cut out middlemen, and obtain better trading conditions, so that they are not forced to compromise the quality of their products and work hygiene or turn to child labor to earn for living.

Written by PennySaverUSA. If you would like to have a cup of organic, shade-grown or fair trade coffee and looking for an interesting place in your area, visit us online to find a comprehensive list of cafes in the USA.

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New Homes of the Future: What Will They Look like?

Housing is and always has been an excellent barometer of society and culture. The way housing is designed and structured gives us a glimpse into how our communities work, the way that we live our lives on a daily basis and how our families interact.

Just take a look at the dwellings of Native American’s: their tepees were made from animal hides and wood, designed to be portable and quick to assemble, a necessity for their nomadic lifestyles. Victorian terraces are another example demonstrating how social values shape housing, with elements such as the design of the windows and the location of the property reflecting the owner’s social status.

And as our societies continue to evolve, so too does our housing. What will our future homes look like and what will they say about us as a society? There are two elements which are having a significant impact on us already and will continue to do so in ever increasing amounts.

The environment is the first major element that influences the design of new eco friendly homes. As climate change becomes ever more real, and the depletion of the world’s resources of fossil fuels looms; we continue to seek new methods to achieve energy efficiency in a sustainable way. Domestic energy use accounts for around 40% of the UK’s total energy consumption – making efficiency gains in this area a major target for the Government.

Specific areas for improvement include:

• Sustainable energy production. This is set to increase for the future, and you can realistically expect to see elements like solar panels and wind turbines as a standard feature in new homes.
• Focus in insulation improvement. Thick foam insulation and building techniques are required to minimise heat loss for the most eco-friendly homes.
• Wastage avoidance. Recycling bins, urban drainage and rainwater harvesting are examples of the ways energy wastage can be reduced.

Sustainable development meets modern design: Barratt Homes’ Green House

The second area that will change the face of our homes is digital technology. Already, some new home builders are incorporating computer systems which manage the heating of each and every room in the house. This will develop in future, so much so that almost every machine led aspect of home life may be automated. From lights that switch on when you enter a room, to controlling home entertainment systems with one touch, to systems that alert you to the security of your house remotely; all via one handheld device.

Say goodbye to all those wires and cables too, because wireless technology is set to be the order of the day. Space saving needs will combine with advances in gaming technology, as gaming pods will have the adaptability to transform into the entertainment of choice for whoever happens to be playing.

So there you have it: carbon neutral homes that enhance rather than damage the environment with automated and intuitive technologies that enrich our lives. Good news for us and our planet.

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Ten sites off the coast of northern Scotland have been leased out by The Crown Estate – property owned and managed by the United Kingdom – for the development of new wave and tidal energy installations. It is hoped that once completed, the installations will be able to power 750,000 homes in Scotland.

The waters around the area are described as the “Saudi Arabia of marine power”, owing to the fact that they possess up to one quarter of Europe’s tide and wind resources and one tenth of the continent’s wave capacity.

Wave energy occurs when wind blows over the surface of the sea, moving the water and creating waves. The greatest amount of energy is found in deeper, more exposed waters, making those off the coast of North Scotland ideal.

Scotland’s First Minister, Alex Salmond, has called the plans – which are a world first – a ‘major milestone in the global journey towards a low carbon future, with the commercial-scale deployment of marine renewables set to power our economies and help safeguard the planet for generations to come”.

Mr Salmond went on to say that these developments demonstrate Scotland’s commitment to renewable energy sources which do not harm the environment. According to the wildlife charity WWF Scotland, this can be achieved with careful planning.

Seven companies have won the right to develop projects which harness the power of the waves off Scotland including E.ON – the home and business electricity supplier – Pelamis Wave Power, SSE Renewables Developments and ScottishPower Renewables.

The Secretary of State for Scotland Jim Murphy said: “This is a welcome world-first for Scotland and I am happy to see the major steps being taken to harness Scotland’s wave and tidal energy. It is an extremely exciting time for renewables in Scotland and across the rest of the UK as we use more of our natural resources to generate our power”.

Author Bio
Lucille Groutadge is a freelance writer with a particular interest in green energy and business electricity suppliers.

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Our world is being plagued by “Global warming” and we keep on threatening to do something about it. However are we actually seeing any changes that are significant to save our planet from ultimately, destruction? Is Global warming real, well yes, it is blatantly obvious, and the science backs it all up. These things need to be monitored and although we are watching what is happening we are doing nothing to stop it.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Maldives has been slowly disappearing over the years, almost completely unnoticeable to us.  Rest assured however, the water levels across the world are rising, and with the Maldives the lowest lying land above sea level, panic is beginning to set in.  In fifty to a hundred years the Maldives could find itself in an awkward situation with sea levels rising so high that the islands become inhabitable.

There is not a single of the twelve hundred islands that is more the six feet above sea level, so when these sea levels rise above a certain point there will be nothing left.  Most of these islands have a dedicated hotel on them, mostly for those that would like to enjoy a luxury holiday.  So these hoteliers find it well within their best interests to help out any scheme designed to help save the Maldives from “falling” into the sea.

However it would seem as though they are not just going to give up and “Throw in the towel” so to speak.  Some designers and architectural builders have pulled some ideas together, along with the help of the government.  Instead of creating sea wall defences, which would be impossible for the majority of these islands another alternative is being investigated.

There has been much talk and debate about creating islands.  Simply put the Maldivian government is considering building islands that are designed to float above the still waters of the Maldives.  One island in Particular is called the Koen Olthuis island, which has been designed in the shape of a star, pictured below:

This is going to be a prototype for many other islands that the Maldives government is planning on building, or at least investing in.  The Dutch Docklands has just finished signing an agreement with the Maldivian Government to go ahead with creating a number of specific floating devices for these islands.  All it takes now is for something to be completed before this becomes a reality instead of just a few drawings.

Marcus is Typically a Travel SEO, working with Maldives holidays tour operators, he enjoys blogging about experiences and what he learns in day to day life.

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To say that the staging the Winter Olympics is a monumental task is a lot like saying the Pacific Ocean is a pretty big body of water. The 2010 Olympic games in Vancouver/Whistler required massive building and renovating of new and existing structures and infrastructure. Along with all of these colossal undertakings, there was also the need to find ways of moving large crowds and staff safely and efficiently from one venue to the next without leaving a King Kong-sized carbon footprint. Here are the top five of the many green initiatives employed by the organizers and sponsors of the games.

5. Have A Coke And A Smile

Coca-Cola set up a waste diversion program to ensure that 95% of waste generated during the games wound up in recycling plants and not landfills. Bottles, shrink wrap and cardboard trays will be recycled and reused, sparing the city a huge influx of excess waste courtesy of the thousands of tourists flocking to the city to cheer on their athletes.

4. Generator Nix

A large number of diesel generators were usually kept on hand during past Olympic games sites in case of emergency. As it was imperative that the generators be ready to be put into place at a moment’s notice, they were usually kept idling until needed, polluting the air and burning fuel. The solution to this problem came courtesy of BC Hydro and two underground power lines, one of which served as a back up in case of a power loss in the main trunk. With a switching system, power could be diverted from one trunk to the next almost instantly.

3. On The Road

Even before the games officially got under way, steps were taken to reduce the carbon footprint of the torch relay across Canada and the rest of the world. Through use of recycled materials and making smart, green transportation choices in moving staff and volunteers from one spot to the next, this green approach produced an energy efficient relay that was good for the planet. Also energy efficient skytrain systems were expanded along with hybrid taxis brought into service to help shuttle people about.

2. Village, People

The Olympic Village, called Millennium Water, is a shining example of sustainability. Half of the buildings have green roofs which cut down on the cost of heating and cooling the 200 units in each of the buildings spread over 9 blocks. Also the US Green Building Council is expected to give the Olympic Village a LEED gold certificate for the green initiatives utilized in the facilities.

1. Used Medals?

Were you aware that the Olympic medals are made from recycled end-of-life electronics? And by making the medals some of the heaviest ever distributed at the games, more recycled material was kept out of landfills and instead was transformed into one of a kind works of art. Each medal is unique but the sustaining initiatives employed to create them hopefully aren’t.

Andrew Salmon is a freelance writer. He writes on a variety of financial topics such as universal life insurance policies.

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If you are a gardening enthusiast, you would be thrilled to know that it is possible to design your own a solar fountain

for a fraction of what a typical solar water fountain costs!  A typical solar fountain costs around $130, however, this guide will reveal how to design your own solar fountain for less than $60.  The best part is that designing your own solar fountain not only helps you save money, it also helps you express your creativity.  A solar water fountain is one of the most essential aspects of an energy independent garden.   It helps you create a calm and relaxing outdoors and serves as elegant garden decoration item.

A typical solar fountain constitutes of 5 main parts: a solar panel ($25), a submersible low voltage DC water pump($5), a container or basin($10 – $15), decorative fixture or figurine($20), and some vinyl tubes($5).    Here’s quick and easy guide on how to effortlessly design your own solar water fountain.

1. Choosing the right combination of solar panel and pump is vital when it comes to designing your own solar fountain.  Here are the two most important things you should consider when shopping for a solar panel – Voltage Output, and, Current Output.  A typical solar garden fountain needs a solar panel that outputs 6 to 9 volts of electricity and about 180 to 220 milliamps (mA) of current.   If you get a solar panel that produces 1 watt of power, it should be sufficient.
2. Choose a low voltage DC pump so as to minimize the power consumption.  A typical low voltage DC pump would consume about 6 volts of electricity and 150 milliamps of current.  This kind of water pump would give result in a flow rate of about 55 to 65 GPH (gallons per hour).
3. Pick a nice decorative terracotta bowl and use it as a basin.  If you chose to give your garden a zen-theme, consider using well crafted bamboo spouts to design a bamboo fountain.  On the other hand, if you prefer a traditional fountain, go with a decorative piece like a lion-head wall fixture, or cascading slate tiers.   The important thing to keep in mind here is that your bowl size should be in proportion with the size of your fixture, otherwise it would result in a non-uniform design.
4. Pass the tubing through the basin onto the fixture.  Make sure that the tubing is connected snugly to the pump and the fixture.  Leaks in the beginning or end of tubing would cause non-optimal water circulation and thereby may damage the pump.

If you want to protect your pump from getting damaged, consider using a solar pump controller.  It is a must-have for larger units of solar fountains that have higher flow rate of 300 to 500 GPH.

Above mentioned resources and guide should be enough to get you started on the path of designing an effectively functional and elegant solar fountain.

About the Author:
Amy C. is a tabletop fountain aficionado.  She enjoys designing innovate water features to create calm and relaxing indoor and outdoor spaces.  She owns a retail outlet known as Tabletop Fountain Store.

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Did you know that coffee is the most popular commodity in the world, after oil? Of course you did… you’re smart and sophisticated. That’s why you’re reading this blog. But what most people don’t consider is that all of this demand for coffee is beating up the environment. Just think of how many coffee houses there are in the US. Then think about the coffee shops in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. Then consider the amount of fuel it takes to transport coffee beans from Indonesia, Africa, Columbia, etc across the world. Then imagine the millions of disposable paper cups, styrofoam cups, napkins, coffee stirrers,coffee tops, etc. that are thrown into garbage heaps every day. Then think of how much water it takes to cultivate, harvest, and eventually brew all of that coffee. Some stats say that it takes 200 liters of water to produce just one latte.

These stats are pretty dis-heartening, but don’t let it get you down. Yes coffee does do a number on the environment, but it doesn’t mean you have to stop drinking it altogether. Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do the lessen the effect of your coffee habit on the earth.

1). Drink Less – This isn’t the easiest thing for most people, but cutting at least some coffee out of your diet is bound to help the environment (not to mention keep your teeth wither) If this isn’t possible, don’t fret, there are plenty of good tips below.

2). Drink Local Coffee – Because shipping coffee beans around the world spews tons of toxic smoke into the atmosphere, look for coffee beans grown in countries closer to you. Love Kopi Luwak (the bean is best when it passes through the digestive tract of a small tree mammal called the luwak)? There are tons of other specialty blends that you can get that are grown much closer to home. I know Kopi Luwak tastes good, but it comes from an animal’s feces and it shipped from half-way across the world. I’m just sayin’…

3). Buy Organic – Organic coffee is great because it’s (obviously) grown without chemicals, and is usually grown in such a way that protects sensitive ecosystems and the birds that live within them. Most of these toxic chemicals are produced in factories that spew toxins into the environment themselves, so you’re killing birds with one stone by going organic.

4). Stay Away From Corporate Coffee – More and more coffee giants are cutting down forest and converting them into large agricultural coffee plantations. The deforestation is not only horrible for the environment, it produces inferior quality coffee. Add that to the fact that the coffee farmers themselves can barely make a living working in these massive corporate coffee farms.

5). Choose Fair Trade Coffee – If you’re going organic, and avoiding corporate coffee, you might as well buy fair trade coffee. Rainforest Alliance and Transfair coffees not only ensure fair living wages for coffee farmers, they take into account environmental standards in their certification process. It won’t immediately lift people out of poverty, but it’s a start.

6). Just Use a Mug – This one is a no-brainer. But it’s easier if you invest in a really cool mug that you will want to use over and over again; eliminating the need for plastic or Styrofoam cups. There are plenty of websites that sell cool, unique, and funny coffee mugs. Or you can create one by yourself at CafePress.

7). Ditch the Stirrer – Rather than mixing sugar and cream with a plastic spoon or stirrer, try pouring them into an empty cup. Then gently pour your hot coffee on top, letting the heat naturally dissolve the sugar and mix the cream. It takes some practice. Or you could just use a metal spoon.

8). Use Better Filters – Not only are they better for the environment, re-usable gold coffee filters yield a better, less bitter cup of coffee. If that’s not your thing, just look for unbleached, biodegradable ones.

9). Make a Compost Heap – If you already have a compost heap, you probably throw egg shells, banana peels, and old food into it. Why not add coffee grounds (if you don’t already)? The next time you make some coffee, rather than throwing out the used coffee grounds, toss them in your compost heap, or directly into your garden. All the nitrogen in the coffee is a powerful fertilizer.

10). Keep Away Pesky Felines – Instead of using harsh chemicals in your garden to keep away unwanted pests like ants and neighborhood cats, sprinkle coffee grounds and orange peels in your garden. The nitrogen in the coffee burns ants’ legs and is better for the environment than using harmful chemicals. Cats don’t like the smell of coffee either.

So here are 10 easy ways to make your coffee habit less harmful to the environment. I’m sure there are tons of others. Please feel free to share your own tips.

http://TheCoffeeMakerStore.com is a daily blog and e-commerce store about coffee, coffee makers, and coffee culture. Feel free to download the free “eco friendly coffee tips” widget from there as well.

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